Moroccans riot ahead of protests

Police station in Tangier attacked in dispute over utility firm's management a day before planned countrywide protests.

19 Feb 2011 17:25 GMT

The violence came one day before a planned nationwide protest to push for political reform [File: EPA]

Protesters have attacked a police station and premises linked to French firms in the Moroccan city of Tangier in a dispute over the local utility firm's management, organisers and residents have said.

Saturday's violence came a day before a planned nationwide protest to push for political reform but there was no immediate evidence of a direct link.

"No tear gas, nothing was fired. They used long truncheons to disperse the crowds"

Local witness

Riot police intervened to break up the protest in Tangier, which evolved from a sit-in in front of the city hall to a march that gathered hundreds of protesters, the Moroccan branch of the local activist organisation, Attac, said on its website.

The sit-in was organised to push for the cancellation of a utilities contract that the city has awarded to an affiliate of the French firm Veolia.

Moroccans in cities where foreign firms run utility services often complain of hefty tariffs.

Residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that a protest initially against utilities tariffs had developed into a march, which anti-riot police prevented from reaching the city centre.

"No tear gas, nothing was fired. They used long truncheons to disperse the crowds," one resident said.

Tanjanews.com published pictures showing the shattered windows of a police station and branches of firms affiliated to Veolia and the French bank Societe Generale, and said a branch of the latter had been set on fire.

Sunday protests

A group of young Moroccans that calls itself the "February 20 Movement for Change" has called for nationwide protests on Sunday to push for constitutional reforms that would reduce King Mohammed's powers and make the justice system more independent.

The group, which has gathered more than 17,000 Facebook fans, also wants to force the 47-year-old monarch to dismiss the government and dissolve parliament.

Pro-monarchists have announced counter-marches in support of a dynasty that has been ruling Morocco for almost 350 years.

Authoritarian Arab leaders are watching carefully for signs of unrest spreading through the region after revolts in Tunisia and Egypt.

However, the credit rating agencies Standard & Poor's and Fitch have said Morocco is the least likely of the Maghreb states to be affected by the wave of popular unrest.